Suggestions please?

If you have read some of my other posts, you know by now that we sometimes have a challenging time at the library. It is getting easier, and I am determined to raise bookworms, but picking out good read alouds isn't easy even by yourself. Some of the picture books are so long! I read somewhere that one mom had a rule of thumb- one sentence per page for each year her child was. That actually sounds about right- Drew wants to turn the page after one sentence and David can stay with me for several. Anyway, I love to type in the names of books and put them on reserve at the library, but I am all out of ideas. Also, and I don't know why this annoys me so much, but I can't stand reading books about characters that are on t.v. So, does anyone out there have any good ones for us? In return, and in advance, I will give you a few of our favorites-
Tip Tip Dig Dig and its sequel Toot Toot Beep Beep by Emma Garcia- the first book (it's all about dirt movers) especially is great; it is fun to say the words, and we checked it out so much I have ended up buying it. Both my boys love it.
Tillie Lays and Egg and The Stray Dog. The latter is by Marc Simont and I don't remember who wrote the first. David loves both of these books and they reinforce the days of the week concept in a fun way while still telling a simple story.
Oh, I might as well list my top four...
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
The Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore
The Evening Class by Maeve Binchy
Petey by Ben Mikaelsen (actually a young adult book, used it with one of my advanced classes one year)

Rocking Chair

We went over to our old duplex a few days ago to get it ready for the new renters. David said he remembered living there, but I don't know how he could. It brought back so many memories of him being little. It just makes me think again of how fast it all goes. For instance, I walked back to his old room and showed him where the rocking chair used to sit and told him how I used to rock him every night. Here is what makes me so sad- when we moved to the house we live in now, I put the rocking chair in the "new baby's" room. I was pregnant and it was too hard to hold David and so we put a tiny couch in his room to read stories on. I remember all this, but I don't remember consciously thinking one night- this is the last time I am going to rock you like a baby. There are so many things you do with your kids that are common every day activities and seem boring and then one day you blink and that phase is over. I remember living in that duplex and putting David to bed and being so ready for him to fall asleep and to spend some time with Keith. I remember we used to watch "24." The thing is, now I can't even recall the names of any of the other characters besides Jack Bower.
Now, every night, Drew stands in his crib and says, "Rock me Mommy- peeese!" I get him out and it takes a few seconds for him to get comfortable- we both barely fit. His long, chubby toddler legs dangle off my lap but if I look into his eyes as he stares at me he really looks the same as he did at six months old. So I rock him. And I kiss his still mostly bald head. And although I have even more evening chores than I did when I only had David I hold him for a long time. Because now I really understand that it does go by so fast. One day we'll give away that chair. One day David will stop holding my hand and they'll both give up their blankeys. But for now, I get to rock Drew and I am going to enjoy it.

A,B, or C

I have to preface this post by first saying that Drew has been a lot better and he is a really good little twenty-two month old most of the time.
That being said, I made the rookie mistake of going past the toy aisle at Target today because I needed to price their floaties. Drew did not want to get back in the cart and as he was flailing around and screeching and people were glancing in my direction, I thought of a few things I could say to my unwanted audience. You decide which one is best-
A) He's really frustrated because I have to wait until we get to the snack bar to nurse him. Precious loves the breast! (and no, Drew isn't really breastfed- I weaned him at nine months)
B) Can you watch him for a few minutes? I have irritable bowel syndrome... Be back in ten!
C) This is the worst babysitting job I have ever had!!! After today I quit!!!

So many vehicles!

We went to the Touch-a-Truck on Saturday morning. (Or bang on a delivery van if you are Drew.) Anyway, it was a little boy's dream come true. We loved it and had an awesome time. It was even better since Mimi was in town and got to come with us.

Saturday mornings used to mean sleeping in, going out to breakfast and not breaking into a cold sweat if there was a line at Jimmy's Egg. Now? The best Saturday mornings are ones where we can do something really fun like this and wear the boys out so they take a long nap. Then we can lounge around and pretend it's still morning...

If only someone would do this for me...

As I was making the boys a cozy pallet on the floor, putting a Diego DVD they hadn't seen in the DVD player, and getting them each little bowls of carrots, grapes, and crackers, I thought to myself, I would jump for joy if someone did these things for me. David and Drew? They just laid there because it's really not out of the ordinary for them to get their lunch on a blanket on the living room floor. But what if someone cued up Desperate Housewives for me and put pillows around to lounge on and got me some Cool Ranch Doritos and a Diet Dr. Pepper? And then, when my show was over, they led me to my cozy room for a nice nap. That would be really lovely-these boys don't know how good they have it.

But then I think, wait, the reason I do these things for my boys is because my mom did such special things for me. I remember tea parties with tiny cookies and my mom arranging my pillows so I could read comfortably. She still does nice things for me like dumping out her purse Thursday evening and filling it with books and treats for Drew so that I could watch David in his school program. And then there is my mother-in-law. Each time I hang up the phone with her I feel encouraged and uplifted. Add to that Keith who got our friends in Liberty, Missouri to help him order a necklace that I had admired while I was there and what more do I need? So forget watching trashy yet entertaining housewives on t.v. I have so much more. Happy Mother's Day Mom and Linda. And Keith, thanks for making mine great.

David's following in my footsteps...

Well, give David an audience and he hams it up. So while Keith thinks he's going to be athletic in high school, I am starting to wonder if he will be in all the school plays like I was. Keith wouldn't even go near Spring Sing in college until he was president of his club and had to, so it would be pretty funny to me if David starred in musicals. Anyway, I am going off on a tangent, so let me get back on track.

I am so proud of David!!! First of all, he has done so well at his school! He started in February and seems to have really done great. After having such awful separation anxiety it still continues to amaze me that he goes happily twice a week and loves every second of it. His last day is next week and Thursday night was his program.

His class had purple tie dyed t-shirts. David looked hilarious because his was a 3T (he wears a 4T or 5T.) Plus the humidity has made both of our do's wild and woolly so he resembled a hippie. Also, we forget that David really is tall for his age. All the kids in his class are exactly the same age, but our boy sort of looked like Goliath in comparison. Anyway, David belted out all the words to the songs. The last song went something like this- "If I were a fuzzy bear, I'd thank the Lord for my fuzzy wuzzy hair and if I were a butterfly, I'd spread my wings and fly so high, and I just thank the Lord for making me ME for making me ME." Well David, Daddy and I just thank the Lord for making you YOU! Because we couldn't have dreamed up a little boy that was more perfect for us. We love you and we love the person you are becoming. Follow in mom's footsteps, dad's, both, or neither. We know that whatever you do you will bring energy and joy to the task.

Cinco de Mayo=Taco Mayo

It was raining very hard yesterday when I went to pick David up from school, but I still managed to convince my buddy and former neighbor Jamey to meet me with all three of her little girls at Taco Mayo. After all, it was Cinco de Mayo and the kids needed guacamole tortilla chips and cinnamon chips for an afternoon snack.

I am a little fuzzy on what this holiday is all about, but I am grateful to Mexico. If it weren't for them we wouldn't have tacos once a week (always a crowd pleaser although they do create an unholy mess.) But Mexico's biggest impact on my life is being the country of origin for a little boy named Diego. Because of him I have a little under thirty minutes to take a shower, load the dishwasher, and put on make-up every morning. David and Drew are loving this little Latino rug rat. So- muchos gracias Diego and happy seis de mayo to my three blog followers.

Trips to Target are fun when solo

Why oh why oh why didn't Target have ANY shopping carts with the two seats in front available? Do they know how much more difficult that makes an already difficult task? I valiantly tried to stuff as much as possible under the cart since David and Drew were in the back. David would have walked by the cart just fine, but then "Me Too" boy would have had to get down and that isn't an option. After about ten minutes I did what any good mom does. I booked it to the snack aisle, grabbed a bag of Chex Mix and gave a twenty second sermon on the virtue of sharing. And, in true Hansel and Hansel style the boys left a trail of Chex Mix through Target. Guess what happens when you make a mess all through the store? Apparently they get on their headsets and they send their most flamboyantly gay employee to jump in front of your baby and say "Boga boga." Yeah, it was weird. I think he was trying to be helpful and amuse the boys as I was tying bags onto the side of the cart. However, Drew almost burst into tears and David just stopped playing with his new sand roller and stared. All of this could have been avoided and we would have had a nice trip (I saved eight dollars with coupons and got free apples) if they had more carts with kid seats. I know I am not the only person crazy enough to grocery shop with their children...

I think he'd remember her

It's been almost a year since we have seen my sister and her kids. Yet, if asked who his best friend is, David always replies, "Rachel." And if asked what he is going to do when he grows up he says, "Marry Rachel and live in Emily." I don't have the heart to tell him that you can't marry your cousin and that Rachel lives in Italy. Drew on the other hand... He didn't start walking until a few weeks after Emilia left. He was only nine months old and has changed so much in the past year. However, he did love my sister and Mama's Boy that he is, Drew would still let Emilia carry him around. She was so patient with him. The funny thing is, Drew looks like my sister's baby pictures. In fact, he looks as much like his cousin Sammy as he does David. Anyway, I sat Drew down and made him perform like a circus monkey so that my sister can see how different he is. Well, he only has slightly more hair than last year.

Emilia- if you watch this, I am pretty sure Drew would remember you and give you one of his big hugs and kisses. And I know he loves you.